Transcript
Some say the coronavirus pandemic shows we need Medicare for All”
“Right about now would be a great time to weigh emergency measures like … Extending Medicare/Medicaid coverage to all.” — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
“When I talk about healthcare being a human right … the coronavirus crisis makes that abundantly clear as to why it should be.” — Sen. Bernie Sanders
We all want everyone to have access to the care they need, particularly during this time of uncertainty.
But Medicare for All would ultimately make it harder for people to get the actual care they need when they need it.
That’s because health coverage and health care are not the same thing.
While Medicare for All might insure all Americans, it would not guarantee access to medical services.
With COVID-19, we’ve already seen how bureaucratic problems have worsened the current situation.
At the CDC, the federal agency responsible for testing and tracking the virus, bureaucratic hurdles slowed the availability of coronavirus tests.
The best way to combat coronavirus is to develop treatments and vaccines. This is achieved through innovation, and it’s where the U.S. outshines all others.
The private sector is leading the way. And a Medicare-for-All system would reduce medical innovation in the U.S. A better approach is to focus on making it affordable and easy for people to access the health care that’s best for them as individual patients.
The private sector delivers health care Americans can trust. It is far more efficient, more innovative, and more responsive to individual patients than Medicare for All would be.